Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1513303
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 17 DECEMBER 2023 9 COMMERCIAL The popular annual quiz night organised by Lions Club Mdina-Malta Host was recent- ly held at the Marsa Sports Club. The event was very well attended by over 100 members and friends. A buffet dinner was held after the event. Pro- ceeds from the sale of tickets and raffle went towards the Malta Trust Foundation which provides counselling services on mental health to students in schools. Lions Club Mdina Malta hosts their highly popular annual quiz night Mastercard Fintech Forum is back: Applications are now open for the 2024 competition FOR a second year in a row Mastercard will host the Mas- tercard Fintech Forum in Ath- ens and invites all fintechs in the SEE region to compete, in order to win a place in the Euro- pean competition in June 2024 in Berlin, which gives the tick- et to StartPath, Mastercard's global startup accelerator. Applications are now open, and fintechs can submit their participation on the platform, until January 20th, 2024. Mastercard Fintech Forum will take place in Athens in February 2024 and is an initi- ative that focuses on support- ing startups, bringing together financial industry executives, fintechs, investors and venture capital firms, aiming at sparking discussions on emerging trends in the ecosystem and fruitful future partnerships. During the event, participating startups will have the opportunity to present their business plan, fo- cusing on their innovative idea, while at the same time network with Investors, Venture Capi- tals and entrepreneurs from the Banking industry. The two companies that will be selected by the jury and au- dience will win a ticket for the main event in Berlin, which will bring together the winners of the individual regional events, competing for a place in the final selection phase of Master- card's StartPath. It's important to note, that Is- rael's Kipp, which emerged as the winner of last year's compe- tition in Athens, won first place in the final phase of the compe- tition in Berlin in 2023. In addition to the competi- tion, Mastercard Fintech Fo- rum will feature startup found- ers, high-raking international Mastercard executives, inves- tors, entrepreneurs and leaders of the innovation space, Ven- ture Capitals and technology companies, as well as banking representatives from Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Romania, Bul- garia, Serbia, North Macedonia, Kosovo and Israel. This is a net- working opportunity that helps fintechs gain access to strategic partnerships, co-innovation op- portunities and participation in Mastercard's global network. Panagiotis Polydoros, Mas- tercard's Country Manager for Greece, Cyprus and Malta not- ed: "At Mastercard we want to highlight innovation in every aspect of our operations. The fintech startup ecosystem in Southeast Europe has blos- somed and we feel great joy and satisfaction that we stand as enablers in the development of startups, offering them substan- tial opportunities for develop- ment. I want to encourage every startup to participate in the Athens Fintech Forum, share their vision and contribute to the emergence of innovative ideas and technologies that will shape the future of the fintech industry". The registration to the pitch competition is open to all fin- techs from Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Romania, Bulgaria, Ser- bia, North Macedonia, Kosovo, and Israel, while access to the event will be by invitation only. Marsovin presents donation to president of the Maltese Association Sovereign Military Order of Malta MARSOVIN CEO, Jeremy Cas- sar presents donation to H.E. The Noble Daniel de Petri Testaferrata president of the Maltese Associa- tion Sovereign Military Order of Malta. Marsovin donates a sum of mon- ey from the production of each vintage of Grand Maître to the Maltese Association Sovereign Military Order of Malta which the order uses for charitable purposes. A commitment which Marsovin has maintained towards the order since the first vintage in 1998. Grand Maître is a collectable boutique wine produced by ap- pointment to the MASMOM. Every year, the label of this wine is dedicated to a different Grand Master in chronological order of succession, the first one being Fra Philippe Villiers de L'Isle Adam for the 1998 vintage. The Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grapes used to produce Grand Maître come from a privately owned single estate, Għajn Riħana, which is in the same area where the last battle of the Great Siege between the Knights of the Order of St John was fought against the Turks in 1565. This wine continues to forge Marsovin's reputation with red wine drinkers by combing the in- tense fruit character of the Merlot with the structure of the Cabernet Sauvignon. A wine with an elegant mouthfeel, rich graceful tannins, and a long lingering finish.